There are so many cheesecake recipes out there. They’ve been simplified and reduced to a package of cream cheese, some pudding and cool whip plopped into a pre-made crust. But that’s just not really a cheesecake is it? There’s nothing like a cheesecake baked from scratch and this cherry cheesecake really fits the bill!

Cherry Cheesecake

I have the best cookbook: The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook. It’s been redone a couple of times and I had purchased the revised copy with high hopes. I wasn’t as pleased with the newer version as it just didn’t have the totally cool photo index that mine does.

In fact, I had a different copy of this cookbook that my dad handed down to me and it had an unfortunate accident with an electric stovetop, charring many of its pages.

I was devastated, especially since it burned the handwritten inscription from my dad. How stupid are we at 25?? Anyway, I bought the new version, returned it and found the exact one I had before. Bliss :) This cherry cheesecake is one of my tried and true favorite cheesecakes from this book.

What’s a Water Bath?

Here’s a tip for making a delicious cheesecake. Use a water bath. You start by wrapping the bottom of the springform pan with heavy duty foil. Then after you add the cheesecake mixture, you will place the pan in the center of a roasting pan.

The roasting pan should be large enough to hold the springform pan with room around it, and the sides should be a few inches high. Add a couple inches of water to the roasting pan and place the whole shebang into the oven. The steam that’s created will keep the top of your cheesecake from forming a crust and will help cut down on cracks.

Ingredients for Cherry Cheesecake:

All ingredient measurements are listed in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

I use graham cracker crumbs and finely chopped walnuts in the crust, but you can use other nuts or just graham crackers.

Unsalted butter is melted and cooled to room temperature, but salted butter will be fine as well.

Use regular white granulated sugar, not powdered or brown sugar.

You will need regular cream cheese, nut lower fat cream cheese will work as well.

Eggs are your bonding agent for the cheesecake. Buy large eggs, not jumbo as that can change the science of the recipe.

This recipe uses sour cream to help smooth out the cream cheese.

Cornstarch helps create a firmer cheesecake and can help cut down on cracking.

You will also need lemon juice and pure vanilla extract.

Cherry Topping

You can use homemade cherry pie filling (like mine) or the canned variety from the grocery store.

The only things I add to the filling is some freshly grated lemon peel and a little lemon juice.

How to Make Cherry Cheesecake

Preheat oven your to 350 degrees F (remember you can print these instructions in the recipe card below). In a medium bowl with a fork, mix the graham cracker crumbs, walnuts, melted and cooled butter, and 1/4 cup of the sugar.

Press mixture firmly on bottom and around side of 9″ x 3″ springform pan to within 1 1/2″ of the top.

In a large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth; slowly beat in 1 1/2 cups sugar.

With mixer at low speed, beat in eggs (one at a time) and remaining ingredients, except cherry topping. At medium speed, beat for three minutes.

I recommend a water bath to gently bake the cheesecake. Wrapt the bottom of the springform pan with heavy duty foil.

Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan. Place cheesecake pan in the center of a roasting pan and gently add a couple inches of water.

Carefully place the entire thing into the preheated over and bake 1 hour or until lightly browned.

Turn off the oven and open the door partially. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover pan with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, overnight is better.

To serve, remove the outside of the pan. With large spatula; loosen cake from pan bottom, slide onto plate.

More cheesecake deliciousness

If you like cheesecake, here are several more that I really love. First up is this Tiramisu Cheesecake. Yes, you read that right! If you love cheesecake and tiramisu, this dessert is the best of both worlds!

This decadent Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake is one you won’t want to miss out on. Perfect for holidays, birthdays, or just because, this cheesecake will impress anyone who tries it!

Another favorite is this Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake. Chunks of brownie are baked inside the cheesecake mixture and the results are fabulous!

I grew up eating English Trifle at every single holiday. It’s such a nostalgic dessert for me and the flavor.. oh!! This English Trifle Cheesecake captures all of those flavors and marries them with creamy cheesecake. It’s a must-try for trifle lovers.

Cherry Cheesecake

This cherry topped cheesecake is positively creamy and delicious and will be your new favorite dessert.

Cherry Topping

21ouncecan cherry pie filling

1tbspgrated lemon peel

1/2tsplemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In medium bowl with a fork, mix first three ingredients and 1/4 cup sugar. Press mixture firmly on bottom and around side of 9" x 3" springform pan to within 1 1/2" of the top.

In a large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth; slowly beat in 1 1/2 cups sugar. With mixer at low speed, beat in eggs (one at a time) and remaining ingredients, except cherry topping. At medium speed, beat three minutes.

I recommend a water bath to gently bake the cheesecake. Wrap the bottom of the springform pan with heavy duty foil.

Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan. Place cheesecake pan in the center of a roasting pan and gently add a couple inches of water. Carefully place the entire thing into the preheated over and bake 1 hour or until lightly browned.

Turn off the oven and open the door partially. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in pan on a wire rack.

Cover pan with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, overnight is better.

To serve: remove side of pan. With large spatula; loosen cake from pan bottom, slide onto plate.

Amanda Formaro is the crafty, entrepreneurial mother of four grown children. She loves to bake, cook, make kid's crafts and create decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years. She is also a craft book author five times over and product developer as well as the owner of FunFamilyCrafts.com. You can find her on social media by using the buttons to the left!

Comments

This looks awesome!!!!! The best cheesecake I ever had was made by a woman named Helen Bianchi who was a friend of my mother and grandmother. It was so delicious and had a texture like no other. This one looks a lot like it and I hope it’s close as Helen moved away a long time ago and I haven’t had a bite of her masterpiece in years. The texture was a bit more crumbly/dry/airy (but still dense) than most cheesecakes. So many cheesecakes that you find today are way too creamy. The texture, flavor and density are similar to canned frosting … only a bit more firm perhaps. Those are NOT cheesecake! I can’t wait to try this recipe!

I hate when it's beautiful right from the oven only to find it's misbehaved while my back is turned. It's happened to me more times then I care to admit! The cheeesecake looks so rich and creamy. Love it!

hmm,Amanda,it looks really superb !! And about the crack,i had one last week..ha haIt happens very often with baking ..You are tempting me with pictures reallyI will try to get one copy of this bookbtw,the loss you had,i feel sorry.we are more than stupid at those jovial times

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